Book Review ~ Seeker

Seeker (Seeker #1)

by Arwen Elys Dayton
published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
expected release date: February 10, 2015
genre: YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi,

**received e-galley from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): Quin Kincaid has been put through years of brutal training for what she thinks is the noble purpose of becoming a revered ‘Seeker’.

Only when it’s too late does she discover she will be using her new-found knowledge and training to become an assassin. Quin's new role will take her around the globe, from a remote estate in Scotland to a bustling, futuristic Hong Kong where the past she thought she had escaped will finally catch up with her.

My Thoughts: I so wanted to like this book. The blurb and cover on netgalley grabbed my attention and had me requesting it. I started reading and understood why so many people had DNF'd this book, most around the half way point. I was there and had to force myself to finish, skimming most of the final chapters only stopping to read the parts that seemed important to the story.
The first thing that disconnected me from this story was the setting/time. We start on an estate in Scotland that sounded/ felt very highlander-ish and then next thing you know there are airships and other futuristic things that did not match the estate setting. While this could have worked, it just felt jarring to me and did not blend well.
The bigger problem was the characters. They really weren't likable and by the end even the one you thought you would be rooting for was unlikable. Quin is supposed to be the hero of this story. She seems to be at first when they are training and she is spending time with John. Once the training is over and she is going there and doing what her father says we find out what she is really like. She blindly goes along with everything her father says including killing children because "that's how she was raised". Then once she is free instead of doing the good she was always spouting about she decides to "forget" everything. Her cousin, also a seeker, is no better. When he is given a chance to do something better he turns to drugs in order to forget. Again another unlikable hero.
Then we have John. He comes to the estate to train to be a seeker and avenge his mother's death. Sounds like something you could get behind. Then he starts using the one weapon that he is terrified of because it was what killed his mother, and kills several people in the very same way.
The one redeeming thing and what made me read to the end was the Young Dread Maud. Her story throughout was interesting. The Dreads are the judges/law of the seekers and are  supposed to make sure no laws are broken. Of course this is not what happens. The middle Dread has taken up with Quin's dad and helps him even when it goes against everything they believe. She is the only one that seems to be able to think for her self even when she doesn't know what to do about the wrongs around her. I didn't really understand why she gave Quin what she did at the end. It was the only thing she did throughout that did not seem to match her character.
Overall, there was a lot of potential in this story it just fell short. The characters and backgrounds needed to be more fleshed out. It also would have helped if one of the three seekers had been likable and lived up to their billing.

Rating: 3

Book Review ~ The Vanishing Girl

The Vanishing Girl (The Vanishing Girl #1)

by Laura Thalassa
published by Skyscape
genre: New Adult, Sci-Fi, 

**received as a free read from publisher and netGalley

Summary (Goodreads): Every night after Ember Pierce falls asleep, she disappears. She can teleport anywhere in the world—London, Paris, her crush’s bedroom—wherever her dreams lead her. Ten minutes is all she gets, and once time’s up, she returns to her bed. It's a secret she’s successfully kept for the last five years. But now someone knows.

A week after her eighteenth birthday, when frustratingly handsome Caden Hawthorne captures her, delivers her to the government, and then disappears before her eyes, Ember realizes two things: One, she is not alone. And two, people like her—teleporters—are being used as weapons.

Dragged off to a remote facility where others like her live, Ember’s forced to pair up with her former captor, Caden, to learn how to survive inside until she can escape. Only Caden’s making escape seem less and less appealing.

But even as Ember falls for the boy who got her into this mess, she knows that she is running out of time. Because the government has plans for those like her, and those plans might just cost Ember her life.

My Thoughts: I downloaded this based on the blurb alone. The idea of being able to teleport but only being able to do it for 10 minutes and only at night when you're first falling asleep was interesting.
We soon find out that this is all part of a government program that their parents made deals with in order to get help conceiving. Of course there were conditions to the help. The parents agreed to the children being forced to "serve" the government for two years once they turn eighteen.
I like Ember 90% of the time. I could have done without the whole romance or at least make Ember have a bigger problem with it than she did. She spends the whole book trying to figure out how to get away from the facility and everything the government has done to her but doesn't question her "love" for her pair (Caden). Even when she figures out that the pairs were determined when they were being created she questions it little. It just seemed to go against her personality the rest of the time. I actually liked Caden and didn't have a problem with the relationship, just the fact that Ember was okay with it too quickly.
Overall, I found this to be a mostly fun read. Government conspiracy, teleporting, doubling crossing teenagers, and mysteries abound. I didn't hate the relationship just the cause of it. The author definitely kept my attention and ended the book with enough intrigue that makes me want to read book 2.

Rating: 3.5-4 (the relationship makes me waiver on this)

Book Review ~ The Vault of Dreamers

The Vault of Dreamers

by Caragh M O'Brien
published by Roaring Brook Press
genre: YA, Dystopian, Sci-Fi

Summary (Goodreads): The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

My Thoughts: I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. The author does a great job of sucking you in and keeping you interested right until the end. My problem is when that end came I had more questions than answers.
Forge school is Big Brother for students. Rosie and her classmates are on camera twelve hours a day. The only time they are not is the twelve hours when they are in a drugged sleep that is supposed to enhance their creativity. While we are told this is an arts school we really don't see much of it. The only time it is a focus is when Rosie is trying to make the final cuts to stay at the school.
The other thing that helps her stay is the insta-love story. This was my least favorite part. The relationship between Rosie and Linus could have been more if they weren't "in love" and kissing for the camera within a day of meeting.
What saved this and kept me reading was the mystery of what was happening at night. Rosie's adventures lead to discovery of happenings deep underneath the school grounds. I'm not sure if I found the Dean as a bad guy in the traditional sense, he was more creepy and fanatical about his medical research.
Unfortunately the ending was way too confusing for me. I wasn't sure if it had been a couple of months or a couple of years since Rosie made her big discovery and became the Dean's ward. We don't know what happened to any of the students or Linus. I could keep going about the things that weren't resolved/answered. Part of me wants to read a follow up book just to get some answers but not sure I could handle more questions.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Stitching Snow

Stitching Snow

by R.C. Lewis
published by Hyperion
genre: YA, Fairy-tale retelling, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

**received e-arc from publisher and netGalley

Summary (Goodreads): Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back-but that's assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane's arrival was far from accidental, and she's pulled into the heart of a war she's risked everything to avoid.

In her enthralling debut, R.C. Lewis weaves the tale of a princess on the run from painful secrets . . . and a poisonous queen. With the galaxy's future-and her own-in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

My Thoughts: Yes, there are similarities between this and the first Lunar Chronicle books. It's very easy to get past considering they are both re-tellings of another story. Neither is an original. Also, while not graphic in detail this story does deal with some serious topics.
While I thought Essie was a great main character my favorite had to be her seven drones. We get to know two of them better than the rest but they all have unique personalities. It is clear that they mean as much to Essie as she does to them.
Instead of the normal fairy princess, we have Essie who lives on a mining planet and earns her way by cage fighting. She can definitely take care of herself and making sure everyone knows it. I do wish her abilities would have either been more fleshed out or something more stable. Not having any clue but being able to use them perfectly when the need arises didn't work for me.
Then there's Dane. He got better as the story progressed but the romance between him and Essie never really caught for me. I think the author put him in a bad spot from the beginning and it was harder for me to forget what he did to Essie than it was for Essie.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The author did a good job building up unique planets that make up Essie's world. You get a chance to experience them all and see how different they are. The characters fit into the retelling aspect. The King and Queen fit the evil roles, I just wished we had gotten more time with them to flesh out their characters. Rather than just saying "hey evil" with very little show.
As expected with most fairy-tales there is an HEA for the Essie/Snow and Dane.

Rating: 4 

Book Review ~ Doctor Who: Touched by an Angel

Doctor Who: Touched by an Angel

by Jonathon Morris
published by Random HOuse UK-North America
genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, 

**Review copy received by NetGalley

Summary (netGalley): The past is like a foreign country. Nice to visit, but you really wouldn't want to live there.' In 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving. He receives a battered envelope, posted eight years earlier, containing a set of instructions with a simple message: 'You can save her.' As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it's up to the Doctor, Amy and Rory to save the whole world. Because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon.
It is an adventure featuring the Eleventh Doctor, as played by Matt Smith, and his companions Amy and Rory.

My Thoughts: A year ago I had never watched an episode of Doctor Who. Then all the promos and excitement for the 50th celebration started showing up all over the web and commercials during shows I did watch. I decided to to cram all of New Who into a couple of months to catch up before the special. One of my favorite episodes that I've seen is Blink. There is just something so creepy about these angel statues that come to life and if they can get the hands on you, you don't die you get sent way back in time.
In this book Jonathon Morris upped the creepy. Here we have angels who are actively arranging events to create large time paradoxes for them to feed off of. Using Mark's grief and convincing him that all he has to do is follow this letter from himself correctly and he will be able to save the life of his wife.
Overall, as my first Doctor Who book I was very pleased with the story/book. Mark had moments where you might have wanted to smack him but they fit with where his characters was in his life when the angels set all these events in motion. I was happy with where the author took this character and how he ended the book. I had no problem picturing Matt Smith as the Doctor in this story and thought all three characters fit what we know of them from the show. I can definitely see myself taking time to read some more Doctor Who books.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ New York to Dallas

New York to Dallas (In Death #33)

by J.D. Robb
published by Berkley
genre: Adult, Sci-Fi, Cop Drama, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): The number-one New York Times-bestselling author J. D. Robb presents an intense and terrifying new case for New York homicide cop Eve Dallas, one that will take her all the way to the city that gave her her name-and plunge her into the nightmares of her childhood.

When a monster named Isaac McQueen-taken down by Eve back in her uniform days-escapes from Rikers, he has two things in mind. One is to pick up where he left off, abducting young victims and leaving them scarred in both mind and body. The other is to get revenge on the woman who stopped him all those years ago.

My Thoughts: There was a lot going on in this one. At one point it was too much.
The story starting out with Peabody and Eve getting medals for the work they had done in bringing down the dirty cops was a nice way of closing off that story. Before we can get there Eve gets a message, n the form of a hostage situation, that a serial pedophile/kidnapper that she put away when she was a rookie has escaped. It's very clear from the beginning that his focus is more on Eve than on getting back into things.
This has not stopped him from going back to his old ways, he's just not as good at it. Not only is Dallas where Eve is from it is also where two of McQueen's victims are from. The emotional trauma that surrounds Eve and the city of Dallas has been a running story line throughout this series. Add in what McQueen is and where he has decided to set up shop and it all comes back up again.
The only thing that didn't work for me was the twist with McQueen's partner. It was just too much. The reveal felt like a throw away. With everything else that was happening this story didn't need it. It seemed as if the author was closing off some loose ends so she wouldn't be asked about them anymore. It was just off for me.
Overall, I liked the book even though a lot of it was old stories putting themselves in the forefront again. The relationship between Eve and Roarke took some hits but managed to right itself with the help of some old friends. I did miss the usual team. While the Dallas people were fine it didn't have the same feel as the group you're used to. Almost caught up with this series and still enjoying it.

Rating: 4

Waiting on Wednesday ~ Stitching Snow

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Stitching Snow

by R.C  Lewis
published by Disney-Hyperion
expected release date: October 14, 2014
genre: Sci-Fi, YA, Retelling, Fairytales,

Summary (Goodreads): Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

**Two of my favorite genres, Sci-Fi and Fairytale retellings combined. This sounds promising and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Review ~ Doctor Who: The Forgotten

Doctor Who: The Forgotten

by Tony Lee
illustrated by Pia Guerra, Stefano Martino, Kelly Yates
genre: Graphic Novel, Sci-Fi, Fantasy 

Summary (Goodreads): Stranded in a strange Museum that's dedicated to him, and with no TARDIS in sight, The Doctor and Martha must make sense of their surroundings, hindered by one small fact - The Doctor has lost his memories of every one of his previous incarnations! With items relevant to each Doctor in their possession, The Doctor must try to use them to regain his memories before it's too late, starting with his earliest incarnation's memories, involving Susan, Barbara, and Ian... but quickly moving on to Zoe and Jamie, and more. This all-new series written by Tony Lee (Starship Troopers) features artist Pia Guerra in her first monthly comic since Y The Last Man.

My Thoughts: I picked this one up at the library for the simple fact that it had something about all the doctors in it. I just started watching the show this year and only from #9 forward.
There were quick little story for each doctor based on an item they found with their individual outfits. I liked the glimpses of the older doctors and their companions. It did peak my interest to find time in the future to visit the older seasons.
Martha was not one of my favorites but the reason for her being there was well done and played an important role in the Doctor starting to piece things together. The villain in this story was the least interesting but still needed in order to move the story forward.
Overall, I enjoyed both the story and the graphics from this series. There was a very noticeable change in the drawings at one point but was explained in the note from Tony Lee at the end.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ Kindred in Death

Kindred in Death (In Death #29)

by J.D. Robb
published by Berkley
genre: Adult, Romance, Crime, Sci-Fi, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): When the newly promoted captain of the NYPSD and his wife return a day early from their vacation, they were looking forward to spending time with their bright and vivacious sixteen-year-old daughter who had stayed behind.

Not even their worst nightmares could have prepared them for the crime scene that awaited them instead. Brutally murdered in her bedroom, Deena's body showed signs of trauma that horrified even the toughest of cops; including our own Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who was specifically requested by the captain to investigate.

When the evidence starts to pile up, Dallas and her team think they are about to arrest their perpetrator; little do they know yet that someone has gone to great lengths to tease and taunt them by using a variety of identities. Overconfidence can lead to careless mistakes. But for Dallas, one mistake might be all she needs to bring justice

My Thoughts: Even 30 books in I still enjoy this series. There have been some misses along the way but not this one. It had everything I love when I'm reading a good mystery/crime drama book.
All the main characters were back doing what they do best. Dallas is kick-ass Lieutenant brought in to lead a case that hits a little to close to home for all involved. Not only does Dallas relate to it personally, Peabody and several others knew the victim.
The bad guy's reasoning behind the crime was convoluted and it was easy to believe that he was brainwashed along the way to think the way he does. Even with the bumps along the way (wouldn't be a story without them), I was satisfied with how this case came to an end.
I also liked the happy note that this story ended with, another wedding of a couple we have seen grow from the beginning. It's always nice to see these characters have some happy moments.

Rating: 5

Book Review ~ Emerald Green

Emerald Green (Ruby Red Trilogy #3)

by Kerstin Gier
translated by Anthea Bell
published by Henry Holt and Co
genre: YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi (time travel)

Summary (Goodreads): Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.
She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.
This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

My Thoughts: While this book nicely wrapped up this trilogy, there were some things that just came out of nowhere that caused me to not give it 5 stars.
I normally like Gwen but there was too much whining for me in this book. The amount of tears and moaning complaining was excessive and then when you thought you were past it, it started all over again. It may have been fine for others but it brought the character down some for me. I did like the twist, regarding Gwen, I thought it was interesting and liked how that whole story line was done.
The biggest problem for me was the reveal of Count Saint-German. It just didn't seem to match with the character that we knew. While I understand that he was laying low and trying not to be noticed it just wasn't working for me. It could have been any of the other characters in the story and it would have been more believable.
Overall, this wrapped up all the stories well (even if I didn't like them). All the characters that you would have wanted to have an HEA ended up with one and those who needed to be brought down some pegs were.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ SYLO

SYLO (The SLYO Chronicles #1)

by D.J. MacHale
published by Razorbill
genre: YA, Sci-Fi, 

Summary (Goodreads): Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?

Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come.

It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late.

My Thoughts: This is the first time I've read this author and really wasn't sure what to expect. I had seen this book on some other blogs and thought I would give it a try.
Overall, it was an entertaining read. There was enough going on to keep my interest from beginning to end. My favorite characters were probably Tori and then Quinn. They both seemed more sure of themselves then any of the other teens in the story. Tucker has highs and lows throughout the book, which is to be expected considering everything that happens to him. Between the deaths and quarantine and not knowing who he can trust form one problem to the next he reacted as you would expect.
The only thing that brought this down for me was the sense of no resolution. I came away with more questions than answers and I still don't trust half of the group that was together at the end.
I'm curious enough about where the author is taking this story and these teens that I will be checking out the next book when it comes out in 2014.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ The Paladin Prophecy

The Paladin Prophecy (The Paladin Prophecy #1)
by Mark Frost
published by Random House
genre: YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Summary (Goodreads): Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents' insistence, he's made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.

Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and is being followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

My Thoughts: I've seen mixed reviews on this book but I really enjoyed it. The action started right from go and pretty much stayed there throughout. There were some problems but the overall enjoyment I had while reading this book outweighed them.
Character-wise Will was special in a school filled with special students. He always seemed to have a little bit more. I liked his roommates and learning about them and what they could do. It was obvious which kids were on which side of the battle but a little harder to pinpoint some of the adults in the school.
The different levels of good vs evil was what really made this a great read. From the secret evil fraternity to the non-alien aliens (will make sense if/when read) on one side and this group of kids (including the missing roommate) along with Will's guardian and his group on the other, there was constant action.
Overall, this may have been more of an emotional rating as  I could not put this book down at I time when I was in a reading slump, I found this to be a great read and really hope the second one is just as entertaining and fun/intersting to read.

Rating: 4.5